I’m going to keep this nice and simple.
Due to COVID-19, the 2020-21 seasons have been a cluster.
On top of that, the Mountain West Conference brass has made some curious and inconsistent decisions that have put both CSU programs into very tenuous and unfair positions.
Back in mid-January, COVID struck several MWC womens’ programs and the league went ahead and re-scheduled a whole slew of games. Some schedules and the travel required put programs into very awkward positions. Two programs – Boise State and New Mexico – decided that they didn’t think it worked for them and mutually decided not to meet each other.
Thats right.
Mutually decided not to play.
And the league decision was that it was OK.
Fast forward a few weeks to the Men’s side of things.
The New Mexico men decided not to play San Diego State for non-COVID reasons. And in the past week, the league decided that those two missed games would not be ruled No COntests. Instead they would be ruled forfeits and result in victories for San Diego State.
Thats right.
What was a no contest last month is a forfeit this month.
And now the league has added two late games for the CSU and New Mexico women to play. They were originally slated at New Mexico home game. First to be played at the Lobo’s headquarters in Texas since the State of New Mexico wasnt allowing games. Then moved to Fort Collins. Then cancelled because of COVID in the UNM program. Then added and supposed to be played in Las Vegas right before the MWC Tournament.
And then on Tuesday, the games were moved to Albuquerque because the State of New Mexico lifted restrictions and are now allowing them to be played in The Pit.
I can go on and on about how ridiculous this has been.
The bottom line is that both the Mountain West Conference and the universities have truly ignored the most important thing.
The health and safety of the student athletes!
Claims made that the health and safety of the athletes was the utmost concern of the league and the schools during the pandemic have been completely ignored. Demanding travel schedules in some cases involving unnecessary travel.
These are not professional athletes.
These are students!
If the Mountain West Conference had any true leadership, they would immediately declare the CSU and New Mexico Women as regular season co-champions and not play the games scheduled over the next two days.
And they would immediately declare San Diego State and Colorado State as co-champions on the men’s side
Its probably too late for the Mountain West to do anything about it.
And so I call upon Joe Parker to stand up and do it for the Mountain West. Make an immediate announcement that Colorado State men and women are co-champions this season. Get banners ready. Get the players and staff championship clothing and rings.
This isn’t juice boxes and orange slices.
These teams have earned the right to be called champions and the Mountain West Conference has let them down.
You’ll be letting them down too if you choose to do nothing.
No contest suggests there wasn’t a contest. There was one, but ten minutes before tipoff the Lobos chose to FORFEIT against the Aztecs.
Well, well, well….
Let me clarify one thing: Boise State and New Mexico deciding not to play each other is NOTHING like SDSU flying to some Arizona based high school gym all suited up to play New Mexico- only to be told TEN minutes before scheduled tipoff that the Lobos are choosing to cancel NOT because of Covid but because they just don’t want to play! It was crushing for the Aztecs, and it was unreasonable that the Lobos opted out despite not being sick. There’s a difference unless you choose to ignore it….
Yes, it’s unfair and capricious. And it impacts CSU more than any other school and Joe Parker and the entire school adminstration should protest loudly and often. But it and they won’t.
100% agree.
All well said. CSU deserves a championship, especially if they win in Reno.
Add in the fact that CSU has had to play 3 of the other top 4 teams in the league on the road (@SDSU, @USU, @Nevada). We won at Viejas, something no other team was able to do. We split with USU in Logan, something SDSU wasn’t able to do. And we weren’t swept by anyone, something no other team can claim.
CSU deserves the title and the MWC is stealing it from them.